Net migration for New Zealand reached 70,600 in the year to December 2016. The net inward migration seen in 2016 comes from 127,300 arrivals, and 56,700 departures. As shown in the figure to the right, the last time New Zealand had annual outward migration was in the year to December 2012 when 1,200 more people left than arrived.

How will the New Zealand economy fare during 2016 and beyond? As always, opinions vary, but the Treasury, for one, foresees a slowing of growth during the early part of the year, followed by a period of acceleration lasting until early in 2018.

On 21st July 2015, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) released data on the international migration for the year to June 2015. New Zealand net migration reached a new peak of 58,259 for the year to June 2015. Although, this new peak is just 437 people higher (or an increase of 0.8 percent) than the previous peak of 57,822, reached in the year to May 2015.

In November 2014, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) has released data on the international migration for the year to October 2014, and for the first time ever net migration to New Zealand has reached 47,684 for the year to October 2014.

The overall picture of net permanent and long-term migration is playing out very much as we have commented for some time. The main driver of the wide cyclical fluctuations in the past has been changes in the numbers of New Zealand residents leaving, particularly for Australia. Two years ago the outflow to Australia was 56,000. This outflow has dropped and is quite flat at about 30,000 a year.

15,790 more people arrived in New Zealand than left, for the year ending September 2013. According to Statistics New Zealand’s September 2013 international travel and migration data, New Zealand is seeing continued gains in net permanent migration, after recovering from negative net migration in 2011 and 2012.

Kiwis migrating to Australia have doubled in the last 10 years from 25,000 in 2003, to over 51,000 in the year to March 2013. The love affair with Australia is fickle, and the slightest cloud on the Australian economic horizon causes the number trekking over to thin out.

New Zealand registered a small, yet positive, net migration inflow for the year to January 2013. New Zealand attracted 85,659 people for permanent and long -term migration. This compared with 85,647 departures for the year, which are 1,077 people less than a year earlier.